Astronauts Begin First of Three Spacewalks in Two Weeks

Spacewalker Thomas Pesquet took a selfie during a spacewalk on Jan. 13, 2017.

Two astronauts switched their spacesuits to battery power this morning at 7:24 a.m., EDT aboard the International Space Station to begin a spacewalk planned to last about six-and-a-half hours. Expedition 50 Commander Shane Kimbrough and Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency) will further prepare the space station for commercial spacecraft dockings, as well as perform maintenance and inspection.